JEZ Hope spends half his life trying to prevent people from getting away with daylight robbery.

But the 36-year-old policeman turned the tables yesterday in spectacular style as he and professional Martin Van Jaarsveld masterminded the perfect smash and grab.

Needing 20 to win off three overs with Brad White and David Thompson both on fire, Bacup had this game in the bag.

But they didn't account for Hope, and his partner in crime Van Jaarsveld, who suddenly pulled off the kind of escape act even Steve McQueen would have been proud of.

Lowerhouse's deadly duo wrapped up Bacup's last six wickets for just seven runs, including two victims apiece in the last eight balls, to complete the most unlikely of wins.

But for all Hope and Van Jaarsveld's brilliance, Bacup were guilty of aiding and abetting them after throwing away a game which was theirs for the taking.

"Although we played well, they actually lost the game rather than we won it," confessed Van Jaarsveld.

"The game swung in our favour when Brad White got out.

"People panic in situations like that, especially when the pro gets out.

"Players suddenly start trying to play big shots and they end up getting themselves out.

"And that's what happened." But that frank admission doesn't account for the ice-cool nerves of Van Jaarsveld and Hope which helped cause that panic in the first place.

A quickfire half century stand between White and Thompson took Bacup to the brink of victory.

But White, who played brilliantly for his 86, then holed out to Matt Hope at backward square leg off Van Jaarsveld with 18 still needed. Then Thompson (29) was run out two runs later after a mix up with Robert Riley.

Hope suddenly scented victory and, as the tension soared, Riley and Richard Copley couldn't hack it as the Lowerhouse pace-ace claimed two victims in three balls to leave the visitors needing 12 off Van Jaarsveld's last over.

But the South African wasn't about to crack under the pressure and bagged the last two wickets to wrap up maximum points.

He finished with figures of 5-45, following on from his match-winning century against Rishton the day before, but he was more enthused about the performance of Hope.

"I've got this form to fill in for the club programme and one of the things it asks is who's the best amateur I've ever played with.

"I think I'm going to put down Jez because he just seems to thrive on pressure.

"Whenever the heat is on he comes through with flying colours." Earlier in the day, opener Frank Entwistle had been the Lowerhouse hero.

He made 76, including five fours and five sixes, from 96 balls as the home side set about building a big total.

He was fourth man out at 147, but some useful mid-order contributions from Simon Payne (21), Matt Hope (17) and John Proctor (14) ensured they got up to 197-8.

Bacup were always in the hunt while White remained at the crease.

But some tight fielding made run-scoring difficult and it was only when skipper David Thompson joined him in the middle did they start to accelerate before Hope and Van Jaarsveld struck. So after two wins over the weekend, can Lowerhouse force their way back into the title frame?

"It all depends on how we go against the so-called bigger sides," said Van Jaarsveld.

"We have a history of struggling against the bigger sides like Haslingden and Nelson.

"There isn't much in it, it's just a mental thing. So we've got to keep grafting."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.